Wait, are we really ready to submit

It always hits at the worst time. The build is finally running, the demo kind of works, and then someone says it. “Did we follow the submission rules.” And the whole project feels like it looks back at us, like a living thing that wants to get judged fairly but also wants to trip on one tiny missing file.

This checklist is not about being fancy. It is about not getting knocked out for something small. Eligibility, deliverables, demo, repo, write up, deadlines, judging criteria. These words sound boring until you realize they decide if your work even gets seen. So we slow down for a minute and check each part like we are packing a bag before a big trip.

We keep it simple and real. What do they want. Where do we put it. When is it due. What will judges actually look at first. If anything feels unclear, we double check the official page and screenshots or announcements too, because rules change fast and rumors spread faster.

Quick wrap up

If the team can pass this one checklist without guessing, then the submission stops being scary. It becomes a clean handoff of your work to the people judging it.